Definition
P-RNAV is a European area navigation specification that requires the aircraft's navigation system to keep its computed position within ±1 nautical mile of the intended track for at least 95 percent of the flight time. It is used in European terminal airspace — primarily on Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs) and Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs) — where tighter accuracy than Basic RNAV (B-RNAV, ±5 NM) is needed. P-RNAV requires approved navigation equipment, an approved aircraft, an approved operator, and trained crew.
Plain English
A European rule that says the aircraft must be able to fly its planned path within one nautical mile, almost all of the time. It's used in busy airspace near airports where flights need to be more accurately spaced and routed.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument procedure references, European route planning, and older European terminal procedure material.
Derivation
The 'P' stands for Precision, meaning tighter accuracy than the older Basic RNAV standard. RNAV itself stands for Area Navigation — flying directly between defined points rather than from one ground-based navaid to the next.
Why Pilots Care
Determines whether an aircraft can fly certain European routes and procedures that demand this level of positioning accuracy.
Intuition Check
Precision in P-RNAV does not mean it is a precision approach, and it does not by itself mean the procedure gives vertical guidance. It means the aircraft must meet a specified sideways route-keeping accuracy for European RNAV operations.
Example Sentence 1
The crew confirmed the aircraft was P-RNAV approved before accepting the terminal arrival procedure into Frankfurt.
Example Sentence 2
European controllers cleared the aircraft for a P-RNAV transition after confirming the required navigation performance.